2018 Mendocino County Year in Review: January-March

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On January 1st, 2018, beginning at 6:00 am, customers at Kure Wellness on Lake Mendocino Drive started shopping for legal cannabis items after voters passed Prop 64 which allowed for the recreational use of cannabis in 2016. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On January 2, 2018, Danilla Sands volunteers her time to run the Ukiah Fire Recovery Unit which began giving out donated items to survivors of the Redwood Complex Fire who lost their property during the fire that ravaged Redwood Valley in October of 2017. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On January 20, 2018, Redwood Valley resident Kathy Monroe who lost her home in the October fires, locates her destroyed mailbox on a section of Tomki Road in Redwood Valley. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On January 20, 2018, a large crowd of people gathered on the steps of the Mendocino County Courthouse in Ukiah to take part in the second annual Women's March protesting the policies of President Donald J. Trump. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

A diver in a wetsuit jumps into the water at Lake Mendocino on Sunday, January 28, 2018, to search for David McGowan, 44, of Ukiah, who drowned in a boating accident while fishing with his two young children. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On February 18, 2018, Mike Roumbanis, the owner of Ukiah's only record store, announced he was putting the store up for sale. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On February 17, 2018, students from the Developing Virtue Boys School performed the Dragon Dance during the annual Downtown Lantern Festival which celebrates the Chinese New Year. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On February 24, 2018, Dressed as a Mexican professional wrestler, James Welch, volunteer area director for the Inland Mendocino branch of the Special Olympics, jumps into the air before landing into a large tank of cold water during the annual Polar Plunge event held at Testa Vineyards in Calpella. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On March 1st, 2018, Lori Ajax, Chief of the State’s Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), testified in Ukiah that the state’s cannabis program is still operating under emergency regulations scheduled to expire after one year. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On March 14, 2018, students from Ukiah High School held a 17-minute long protest to honor the shooting victims from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On March 15, 2018, the 80th Annual Redwood Region Logging Conference kicked off with hundreds of students from local schools visiting the fairgrounds during the first of day of the three-day long event. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On March 24, 2018, a "March for our Lives" protest was held in Ukiah at the Alex Thomas Plaza. People brought signs that read "Enough is Enough," "Love Kids, Not Your Guns," and "Am I Next?" (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

On March 28, 2018, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said his office and the California Highway Patrol called a press conference Wednesday to ask the public for help recreating the last days of the Hart family, killed Monday in a crash north of Fort Bragg. (Chris Pugh — Ukiah Daily Journal)

January

Jan. 2: Railroad’s future in development. The California Transportation Commission recommended, as part of its 2017 annual report, the California Legislature create a committee of stakeholders involved in the development of the North Coast Railroad Authority to explore various scenarios for the authority’s future.

Jan. 3: Pot bust riles cannabis community. In the wake of a controversial seizure by California law enforcement agencies of a truck containing 1,875 pounds of cannabis products Dec. 22, county residents and the founders of the distribution company involved in the incident addressed the Board of Supervisors at the board’s inaugural meeting of 2018 and urged them to create a new working group focused on enforcement related issues.

Jan. 4: Supervisors debate salary increases. The Board of Supervisors by a 4-1 vote approved an ordinance amending a section of the county code dealing with personnel and salary and setting their own compensation for service at a yearly base salary of $85,500.

Jan. 5: Essay contest winners announced. Jose Plascencia, 17, of Fort Bragg, won the $500 prize for his essay in the Inside/Outside essay contest based on the book “Inside/Outside: Your Choice, A Letter from Prison” by John Mendoza.

Jan. 6: Plan for drilling raises concern. The Trump administration’s decision to allow offshore oil and gas drilling along United States coastal waters in the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic has alarmed and angered local state government officials and environmental groups.

Jan. 7: Mental health committee on agenda. The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors will consider applications and possibly appoint members to the Mental Health Treatment Act Citizen’s oversight committee at its meeting Tuesday.

Jan. 9: AG’s pot ruling casts doubts. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ announcement that he was withdrawing federal guidelines limiting prosecutions of those involved in the sale of cannabis legally under state laws has caught the attention of local cannabis industry proponents and local government officials alike.

Jan. 10: Logging truck overturns. At least one lane of Highway 101 in northern Mendocino County was closed for more than four hours when a logging truck overturned near Leggett, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Jan. 11: Club gains new program director. Kevin Smallcomb, the new Boys and Girls of Ukiah program director, has, in his own words, spent his entire life educating the youth of America.

Jan. 13: Smoke shop gutted in blast. The Mendo Leaf Smoke Shop on North State Street was gutted after a vaping device apparently exploded in an employee’s hand, the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reported.

Jan. 14: Galletti accepts position on coast. Current Mendocino County Superintendent of Schools Warren Galletti will resign on Jan. 31 to become superintendent of schools at Point Arena.

Jan. 16: Advisory board unhappy. Despite the recent selection and introduction of a new curator, the Mendocino County Museum remains without a director following the unexplained resignation of Alison Glassey in 2017.

Jan. 17: Station, vehicles vandalized. A former volunteer firefighter was arrested after allegedly smashing out windows with a baseball bat at the Hopland Fire Department’s station, Chief Mitch Franklin reported.

Jan. 18: Miss Mendocino pageant postponed. The Miss Mendocino County pageant for 2018 was postponed to the fall of this year.

Jan. 19: Plowshares stops evening meals. Though lunch continued to be served, Plowshares decided to stop serving evening meals as of the end of January, Executive Director Traci Boyl announced.

Jan. 20: Fire relief fund scam leads to two arrests. Two Clearlake residents were arrested on suspicion of attempting to scam a local fire relief fund by dishonestly saying they lost construction materials during the Sulphur Fire.

Jan. 21: Deerwood home destroyed by fire. A fire destroyed a home in Ukiah’s eastern hills, the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reported.

Jan. 24:Cannabis consultant gives update. The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors heard an update from the county’s cannabis overlay consultant on the progress of the firm’s recent meetings with working groups.

Jan. 25:Two housing projects on agenda. The city’s Design Review Board was considering three projects, including two proposed housing projects and another to provide a new base of operations for staff of the Electric Utility.

Jan. 26: Bond refinance window closes. Although the city of Ukiah was unable to convince the Ukiah Valley Sanitation District to set aside its lawsuit in time to refinance the money borrowed to upgrade the Wastewater Treatment Plant both agencies use, a member of the district’s board of directors still feels optimistic that a settlement will be reached.

Jan. 27: Wildfires spur spate of bills. The wildfires that swept across large swaths of the state appear to have inspired several pieces of legislation sponsored or authored by North Coast representatives.

Jan. 28: Holding up Hope for family. More than three months after the October fires, friends and relatives of the Shepherd family continue to raise money for the Shepherd Family Fund and Holding up Hope.

Jan. 30: Father drowns at Lake Mendocino. David McGowan, 44, of Ukiah, drowned Sunday afternoon at Lake Mendocino in a boating accident while with his two young children.

Feb. 2: Mural dedicated at college. As a child, Daniel Lopez was made fun of because he was Hispanic and poor. However, when he went to college at USC, he took classes about his own people’s history and realized that it was something to be proud of and celebrated.

Feb. 3: Seniors vexed about trash. Approximately 30 seniors living in the Baechtel Creek Village apartments located behind the Evergreen Shopping Center sent a letter to the Willits Chamber of Commerce and to the city of Willits highlighting issues with trash, drug paraphernalia and other debris associated with the commercial area and nearby businesses.

Feb. 4: Board urged not to speak to newspaper. Expressing frustration with what they described as biased and inflammatory newspaper coverage, a majority of the Ukiah Valley Sanitation District board of directors agreed they should not speak individually to media representatives regarding official district policies and positions.

Feb. 6: Shooting suspect arrested. A Mendocino County man suspected of shooting his ex-girlfriend on Highway 1 near Little River Sunday has been arrested, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Feb. 7: Rise in lab explosions alarming. There were explosions in at least two cannabis extraction labs in Mendocino County within the past week, and the Commander of the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force said the increase in activity has him concerned.

Feb. 8: Tait leaving for ‘family health issue’. The Ukiah Valley Sanitation District board of directors will be deciding what they need in a general manager in the coming weeks as Joe Tait announced he will be “separating” from his current position this month.

Feb. 9: Nearly time to design State ‘diet’. About a year from now, the transformation of State Street into a much more walkable downtown corridor will likely have begun. But first, the changes for each block have to be mapped out.

Feb. 10:School gardens saved from cuts. Following passionate defending of the Ukiah Unified School District garden program by teachers, garden specialists and volunteers, the school board decided to let school sites decide if funding the garden program is right for them.

Feb. 11: Library ADA parking sought. The Traffic Engineering Committee will discuss increasing the number of handicapped parking spaces near the main branch of the Mendocino County Library in Ukiah.

Feb. 13: K9 to undergo rehab, possibly surgery. The Fort Bragg K0 Foundation is seeking funds to help with medical costs for local police K9 Takoda.

Feb. 14: Chase ends in fatal shooting. A woman was shot and killed in an officer-involved shooting near Willits, following a high-speed stolen car chase.

Feb. 15: Pot users inflamed over taxes. For every dollar you spend on cannabis in California, you may have to pay another 35 cents to the government.

Feb. 16: Clear cannabis convictions online. As California becomes the latest state to legalize recreational marijuana, questions now turn to those who have marijuana convictions from previous years.

Feb. 17: Planners cry foul over process. The chairman of the Ukiah Planning Commission said this week he was “very disturbed” by how the board’s recommendation on where cannabis-related business should be allowed was presented to the City Council before it adopted a new ordinance.

Feb. 18: Orr St. Bridge options on agenda. The Ukiah City Council to discuss the future of the Orr Street Bridge, which staff was recommending be replaced and opened to vehicle traffic again.

Feb. 20: Bomb squad called for box left near Starbucks. A curious box left on the sidewalk near Starbucks on Perkins Street led officers to close off the street and call in a bomb squad, the Ukiah Police Department reported.

Feb. 23: Bridge may not reopen to cars. The Ukiah City Council did not take an official vote Wednesday on the future of the Orr Street Bridge, but directed staff to work on ways to improve the structure while keeping it closed to most vehicles.

Feb. 24: Disaster housing project begun. Officials from Mendocino County, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers held a ground breaking ceremony at the Lake Mendocino Kyen Campground, to start work on the building of approximately 29 temporary housing units to accommodate those displaced by the Redwood Complex wildfires, with the possibility of increasing it to 70 housing units in the future.

Feb. 25: Willits police chief returns. On medical leave since last summer, Willits Police Department Chief Scott Warnock was back on the job but faced temporary staffing shortages as a result of two officers being placed on leave following a shooting Feb. 13.

March

March 2: Homeless services center planned. A proposal to operate another homeless services center in the south end of Ukiah may go before the Ukiah Planning Commission at the end of this month.

March 3: College talks cyber security. The Mendocino College board of trustees held an informational board meeting to learn more about cyber security, college program management, and potential strategic plans for the college going forward.

March 4: Car drives into Ukiah creek. A woman was injured Friday when her car slid off Vichy Springs Road and into Sulphur Creek on a rainy evening.

March 6: Sales of non-med pot may be OK’d. The Ukiah City Council Wednesday will consider updating its existing regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries to allow sales of the drug for recreational use.

March 7: Read Across America in Ukiah. Yokayo Elementary brought in emergency response officers and city leaders on Friday to read to students and answer questions as part of Read Across America, a year-long program from the National Education Association that focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events and partnerships in the community.

March 8: Carjacking suspect arrested. One suspect was arrested and another was still at large Wednesday after a man stole a pickup truck near Hopland and eventually fled on foot while being pursued by law enforcement, the California Highway Patrol reported.

March 9: “What keeps you up at night?” The Mendocino College art gallery was hosting a pop-up photography exhibit called “What keeps you up at night?”

March 10: City won’t support ag easement. The Ukiah City Council declined to support barring development on more than 100 aces of vineyards along Lovers Lane.

March 11: Fishing officials bash oil plan. State and local fishing industry officials and regulators were united in bashing the Trump administration’s plans to allow new offshore oil drilling in federal waters, saying it would add to the many threats the state’s fisheries are facing.

March 13: Search for Britton unsuccessful. Mendocino County Search and Rescue efforts to find Khadijah Britton in the Covelo area were unsuccessful on Sunday.

March 14: Lincolns guilty in pot case. With prospective jurors waiting downstairs at the Ukiah courthouse to be called to a courtroom to begin jury selection, two related co-defendants eventually pleaded guilty upstairs to marijuana offenses involving environmental violations of law.

March 15: County mulls over housing issue. The volatile issue of possibly amending the county’s inclusionary housing ordinance was discussed as scheduled at the Board of Supervisors meeting.

March 16: Moreo out, Overton oversees MJ. According to Mendocino County officials, the county’s new agricultural commissioner, Joe Moreo, resigned on March 5 after only five days on the job.

March 17: Homeless strategies presented. A consultant hired by Mendocino County to assess its homelessness situation and present possible solutions told the large crowd gathered at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center that improvements can be made, but they will require change.

March 18: Expert says “Know your homeless.” An expert hired by Mendocino County to evaluate how it is addressing its homeless situation told officials that the first step to helping, and thereby reducing, the population is finding out who they are.

March 20: Housing projects may receive $1 million. The city of Ukiah has received three applications so far for its Housing Trust Fund, and staff is recommending that two projects be awarded $1 million in low-cost loans.

March 22: Gun scare at Ukiah High School. A Ukiah High School student was arrested after allegedly bringing a pellet gun to school and taking it out in a classroom, the Ukiah Police Department reported.

March 23: Bakery crew lifts SUV off boy. Staff members at Good Life bakery in Mendocino lifted an SUV off of an 8-year-old boy who become pinned under the vehicle when it jumped the curb and ran over him on the morning of March 20.

March 24: Housing projects may be funded. The Ukiah City Council approved preliminarily awarding $1 million of its Housing Trust Fund to two projects that will add 120 units of affordable housing.

March 25: Cultural Services Agency proposed. With the review of results of an investigation of the intermingling of funds between the Mendocino County Museum and its nonprofit board still pending, the Board of Supervisors planned to discuss the formation of a controversial Cultural Services Agency, which aims to combine the administration of the library system, the museum and the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation into one entity.

March 27: Reforestation plan on agenda. The Willits City Council was scheduled to consider awarding a contract to Calpella-based North Coast Resource Management consulting services for a reforestation plan.

March 28: Horses killed in crash near Ukiah. Two horses were killed when they were struck by a car on Highway 101 south of Ukiah, the Hopland Fire Department reported.

March 29: Fire evacuates Ukiah Super 8. A fire that started in a utility closet evacuated a Ukiah hotel, the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reported.

March 30: Kennelly remembered with park. In the late afternoon of March 22, a group of about 50 people gathered near JD Redhouse to witness the unveiling of a “Little Park” dedicated to the late Willits Chamber of Commerce director Lynn Kennelly.